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Chocolate Babka Bread Recipe

Yields1 Serving

A classic Eastern European bread popular in Poland and Russia and your bread machine makes it easier. I was pleasantly surprised with the wonderful taste of this bread, but you should know -it’s not a simple recipe. It requires some process steps that your bread machine can make simpler, but you have to be patient. Most of the time for this recipe requires time for various process steps for the starter and the dough to rise plus a final blending step done by hand. This recipe is also intended to be finished in the oven.

INGREDIENTS:

Step #1: The “sponge”

1 cup of warm milk (110° F./ 43° C.)

1 ½ teaspoons of sugar

1.5 ounces of cake yeast

1 cup of all-purpose flour

Step #2: The Basic Babka Dough

5 egg yolks

1 whole egg

¼ teaspoon of vanilla extract

1/4 cup of melted butter

½ teaspoon of salt

¾ cup of sugar

2 cups of all-purpose flour

Step #3: Chocolate Babka Bread Filling

5 egg whites

2 tablespoons of soft butter

14 ounces of almond paste (optional)

8 ounces of bittersweet chocolate coarsely chopped

DIRECTIONS:

Step #1: The “sponge”

1

A sponge is a combination of yeast and flour that is given some time to rise before you add the other ingredients. Sugar and milk are also added. Here are the ingredients and the directions for making the “sponge.”

2

Put the ingredients into the bread pan in the order indicated and select the dough setting. When done, pour the sponge into a bowl and move on to the next step.

Step #2: The Basic Babka Dough

3

Put all of the ingredients into the bread pan in the order indicated and select the dough setting.

4

Half way through the kneading process add the sponge and then let the cycle continue. While the cycle is continuing you need to make the filling.

Step #3: Chocolate Babka Bread Filling

5

Whisk the egg whites in a bowl until fluffy. Add the other filling ingredients and add the dough to the bowl and blend the filling in with a spoon or spatula.

6

Preheat the oven to 400° F. and place in a buttered bread pan or pour onto a buttered baking sheet. Let rise for an additional 30 minutes and then bake for 30 to 40 minutes.